This invention relates to high chairs and seats for feeding infants, and is more particularly directed to an improvement in a high chair relating to prevention of spills and overturning dishes on the high chair tray.
At mealtimes, infants and small children are often placed in a high chair to be fed. The child may be strapped of into the seat portion, and then the high chair tray is attached in front of the child. The tray usually has a raised rim or flange around its circumference to form a recessed main tray area, with the rim keeping spilled food and liquid from running off onto the floor.
One main problem has been that small children may grab a bowl or dish of food, and then dump or fling the food onto the floor, or else may hit or knock against the dishes to push them off the tray. One attempt to control this has been to use dishes and cups that have vacuum or suction cups on their bases, so that the suction cups will hold the dishes on the high chair tray. Unfortunately, the vacuum does not hold for long on these, and after a short while the dishes come loose and the child can knock them off the tray. Also, the soft rubber material of the suction cup can wear out, especially if the dishes are washed at high temperatures in an automatic dishwasher. An alternative technique is a feeding tray that snaps onto the rim of the main high chair tray. An example of this is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,143,374. However, these are rather cumbersome and are difficult for the parent to place on the tray and remove during a meal. To date, no one has proposed a system of high chair, tray, and dishes that are simple for the parents to use in feeding their child, but which avoid the problems that come from the child knocking against the dishes or trying to pick them up. Also, no one has proposed a system that uses dishware that is durable, stays on the tray, can be machine washed without damage to it, and is as functional as children's conventional dishware.